Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2014	Apr. 30, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss)/income	$ (45,875)	$ (62,842)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(30,400)	(584)
Depreciation and amortization	25,614	24,885
Stock based compensation	11,588	11,223
Provision for doubtful accounts	15,240	3,394
Asset impairments	20,844	8,500
Equity in earnings	1,144	1,058
Non-cash interest expense	1,702	1,838
Deferred income taxes	(145)	184
Other adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income	3,752	(268)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	41,759	38,308
Inventories	28,490	(17,783)
Intercompany	0	0
Other operating assets and liabilities	(97,665)	(38,154)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(23,952)	(30,241)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of discontinued operations	(16,274)	11,847
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	(40,226)	(18,394)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(23,022)	(28,555)
Changes in restricted cash	(56,047)	0
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(79,069)	(28,555)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	77,051	(89)
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	(2,018)	(28,644)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit	0	6,157
Payments on lines of credit	0	(8,860)
Borrowings on long-term debt	167,199	103,134
Payments on long-term debt	(105,687)	(45,702)
Payment on short-term debt	(15,223)	0
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	5,150	3,832
Payments of debt issuance costs	(771)	0
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations	50,668	58,561
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	50,668	58,561
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	1,430	(5,453)
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	9,854	6,070
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	57,280	41,823
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	67,134	47,893
Quiksilver, Inc. [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss)/income	(37,674)	(63,524)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	1,157	1,124
Stock based compensation	11,588	11,223
Provision for doubtful accounts	0	0
Asset impairments	0	0
Equity in earnings	(1,068)	20,942
Non-cash interest expense	942	785
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income	157	126
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Intercompany	26,610	29,829
Other operating assets and liabilities	(1,824)	(582)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(112)	(77)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	(112)	(77)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(4,139)	(3,971)
Changes in restricted cash	0
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(4,139)	(3,971)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	(4,139)	(3,971)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit		0
Payments on lines of credit		0
Borrowings on long-term debt	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	0	0
Payment on short-term debt	0
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	5,150	3,832
Payments of debt issuance costs	(809)
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations	4,341	3,832
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	4,341	3,832
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	90	(216)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	35	324
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	125	108
QS Wholesale, Inc. [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss)/income	(17,226)	(505)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(19,757)	0
Depreciation and amortization	5,298	5,921
Stock based compensation	0	0
Provision for doubtful accounts	12,458	325
Asset impairments	765	1,646
Equity in earnings	(618)	(687)
Non-cash interest expense	491	675
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income	(13)	1,304
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	(6,259)	(2,670)
Inventories	8,292	(14,235)
Intercompany	(3,121)	(5,169)
Other operating assets and liabilities	(29,289)	4,377
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(48,979)	(9,018)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	(48,979)	(9,018)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(5,148)	(3,562)
Changes in restricted cash	(50,214)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(55,362)	(3,562)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	58,060	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	2,698	(3,562)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit		0
Payments on lines of credit		0
Borrowings on long-term debt	69,000	49,000
Payments on long-term debt	(26,500)	(36,200)
Payment on short-term debt	0
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	0	0
Payments of debt issuance costs	38
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations	42,538	12,800
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	42,538	12,800
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(3,743)	220
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	3,733	1,966
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	(10)	2,186
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss)/income	17,510	(16,861)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(10,583)	(539)
Depreciation and amortization	4,355	2,951
Stock based compensation	0	0
Provision for doubtful accounts	158	(1,422)
Asset impairments	3,477	4,677
Equity in earnings	0	0
Non-cash interest expense	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income	(288)	(1,321)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	17,830	42,146
Inventories	10,148	(4,525)
Intercompany	(35,129)	(7,900)
Other operating assets and liabilities	(22,034)	(21,918)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(14,556)	(4,712)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of discontinued operations	(1,861)	9,090
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	(16,417)	4,378
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(2,757)	(3,950)
Changes in restricted cash	0
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(2,757)	(3,950)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	18,991	(89)
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	16,234	(4,039)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit		0
Payments on lines of credit		0
Borrowings on long-term debt	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	0	0
Payment on short-term debt	0
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	0	0
Payments of debt issuance costs	0
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations	0	0
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	(183)	339
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	296	(1,831)
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	113	(1,492)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss)/income	(5,873)	1,101
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(60)	(251)
Depreciation and amortization	14,804	14,889
Stock based compensation	0	0
Provision for doubtful accounts	2,624	4,491
Asset impairments	16,602	2,177
Equity in earnings	1,144	1,058
Non-cash interest expense	269	378
Deferred income taxes	(145)	184
Other adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income	3,896	(377)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	30,188	(1,168)
Inventories	9,124	(2,125)
Intercompany	11,640	(16,760)
Other operating assets and liabilities	(44,518)	(20,031)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	39,695	(16,434)
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of discontinued operations	(14,413)	2,757
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	25,282	(13,677)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(10,978)	(17,072)
Changes in restricted cash	(5,833)
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	(16,811)	(17,072)
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	(16,811)	(17,072)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit		6,157
Payments on lines of credit		(8,860)
Borrowings on long-term debt	98,199	54,134
Payments on long-term debt	(79,187)	(9,502)
Payment on short-term debt	(15,223)
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	0	0
Payments of debt issuance costs	0
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations	3,789	41,929
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	3,789	41,929
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	1,430	(5,453)
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	13,690	5,727
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	53,216	41,364
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	66,906	47,091
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss)/income	(2,612)	16,947
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	206
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Stock based compensation	0	0
Provision for doubtful accounts	0	0
Asset impairments	0	0
Equity in earnings	1,686	(20,255)
Non-cash interest expense	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income	0	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	0	0
Inventories	926	3,102
Intercompany	0	0
Other operating assets and liabilities	0	0
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of continuing operations	0	0
Cash (used in)/provided by operating activities of discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities	0	0
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Changes in restricted cash	0
Cash used in investing activities of continuing operations	0	0
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities of discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on lines of credit		0
Payments on lines of credit		0
Borrowings on long-term debt	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	0	0
Payment on short-term debt	0
Stock option exercises and employee stock purchases	0	0
Payments of debt issuance costs	0
Cash provided by financing activities of continuing operations	0	0
Cash provided by financing activities of discontinued operations	0	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 0	$ 0